Orata alla barese

Ingredients

• 1 sea bream, aka porgy (about 600-900g (1-1/2 to 2 lbs) cleaned and scaled)
• 600 g 1-1/2 lbs yellow fleshed potatoes (peeled and thinly sliced )
• 3-4 heaping Tbs grated pecorino cheese
• A few sprigs of parsley
• 3 cloves garlic (peeled)
• white wine
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   In a large bowl, toss the sliced potatoes with salt, pepper and enough olive oil to coat them lightly.

2. 2

   Mince the parsley leaves and 2 garlic cloves together finely. (Reserve the parsley stems.)

3. 3

   Take a large baking dish, grease the bottom with olive oil. Line the bottom with about half the potatoes, sprinkle with a spoonful or two of the pecorino cheese, along with half of the parsley and garlic mince.

4. 4

   Season the sea bream with salt and pepper on all sides and inside its cavity. Insert a garlic clove and the parsley stems inside the cavity. Lay the fish in the baking dish.

5. 5

   Now lay the rest of the potatoes over the fish, if you like in a decorative pattern, letting them slightly overlap and covering the body of the fish. Sprinkle the potato covering with the rest of the pecorino cheese, parsley and garlic. Pour a bit of white wine along the side of the dish, just enough to moisten the bottom, then drizzle everything generously with olive oil.

6. 6

   Roast in a moderately hot (190C/375F) oven for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and lightly browned on top and the fish is cooked through. .

7. 7

   Remove from the oven and let the dish settle for a few minutes before serving